Steam-trap.



C. H. ATKINS.

. STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 10. I917- 1,287,177. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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CHARLES H. ATKINS, OF PALMER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

STEAM-TRAP.

Patented Dec. 10,1918.

Application filed September 10, 1917. Serial No. 190,636.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. ATKINs, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Palmer, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Traps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in steam traps, and refers particularly to a steam trap which includes a thermostatic valve held normally seated by low steam pressures and capable of unseating action when an abnormal pressure is reached.

Heretofore thermostatic steam traps have been constructed so as to operate on a dif ference of temperature. My invention embodies features and principles of construc tion whereby differences of pressure are utilized to effect a normal valve closing action and a reaction of the valve to clear the discharge port to permit the discharge of ac cumulated water of condensation. I have discovered from numerous tests of working devices embodying the ideas of my invention, that an expansible diaphragm can be caused to contract under abnormal or high steam pressures, so that the valve carried by the diaphragm will be unseated, owing to the difference of pressures between the steam surrounding the diaphragm and the volatile liquid in the diaphragm, due to the dissipation of heat generated in the diaphragm, resulting in the lowering of the pressure of the contents of the diaphragm.

My improved steam trap comprises a casing having inlet and outlet ports and a diaphragm chamber containing liquid supported within the casing and contractible under high steam pressure and expansible under low steam pressure, to open and close the outlet port.

With the above and other objects in View the invention. consists of certain new and useful combinations, constructions and parts, clearly described in the following specification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings illustrating the practical construction of my improved steam trap, as embodied in a working construction which has successfully met service tests, 5designates the right section of the box and 6 the left section thereof. The right section 5 is formedwith a recess 5 againstwhich the annular flange 6 of the left section fits. The two box sections are secured to each other by means of screws 7 The right box section 5 is formed with a discharge port or opening 8, having internal threads 8 and a separate tubular valve seat 9. The left box section 6 is formed with an inlet port or opening 10 which is internally threaded. A circular steel or resilient plate 11 is secured by the screws 12 to the left box section 6, and t0 the central portion of said plate or disk 11 the diaphragm 13 is secured by means of the block 14, which is formed with a screw threaded end portion 14 which is extended through the central portion of the plate or disk 11 and secured in place by the nut 15. The block 14: is formed with an axial opening or bore 14 which is normally closed by the screw plug 16. The diaphragm 13 may be filled with volatile liquid 13 through the opening or bore 14* by removing the plug 16. The diaphragm 13 is equipped with a valve plug 17, which has a tapered nose 17 adapted to enter the inner end of the tubular valve seat 9.

The plate or disk 11 is formed with relatively large openings 11*, to permit condensed steam to pass therethrough. This plate or disk may be termed an auxiliary diaphragm, since it constitutes a yielding connection between the valve and the casing or box in which the diaphragm contracts and expands. The metal plate or disk also serves as a direct metallic connection between the expansible diaphragm and the casing, so that heat generated in the chamber of the diaphragm will be conducted directly to the casing and radiated thereby.

Moreover, the metal plate or disk acts as baffle to catch condensed steam, and is adapted to slightly yield when the valve is forced to its seat by the expansion of the diaphragm, due to the heating of the volatile liquid in its chamber, whereby the valve will not be pressed too forcibly against its seat and the danger of rupture of the diaphragm will be reduced. v

To promote the rapid loss of heat generated in the diaphragm I provide cooling means on the casing or box sections 5 and 6, in the form of radially disposed heat radiating ribs, blades or vanes 18, which present to the atmosphere a relatively surface area, and thus promote the rapid dissipationor loss of the heat conducted from the diaphragm to the ribs or vanes by the metal plate or disk.

The bore of the valve seat is formed relatively small, compared with the area of the chamber of the casing,-so that a diflference of pressure will result from the presence of steam under high pressure in the casing and the loss of pressure of the volatile contents of the diaphragm, due to the conduction of heat therefrom to the vanes 18. The pressure of the steam in the casing remains constant under a given high pressure, while the pressure of the volatile liquid contents of the diaphragm is variable, owing to heat losses developed by rapid radiation of heat transmitted to the casing. The relatively small outlet port through the valve seat restricts the outflow, so that the maximum effect of high steam pressure will be exerted upon the diaphragm to contract the same, whereby the valve will be unseated.

The above facts have been determined by actual service tests with a workin model, of which the drawin s are a detailed and correct representation.

Having described my invention I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A steam trap consisting of a box made in companion sections, a perforated metal plate secured to one of the sections, each section having a port therein, a block secured to the metal plate, a volatile liquid diaphragm secured to the block, a valve seat opposite the metal plate, and a valve plug on the diaphragm to engage the valve seat.

2. A thermostatic steam controlling valved device consisting of a casing having inlet and outlet ports, heat radiating vanes on said casing, an expansible diaphragm having a valve to close one of said ports,

and a yielding metal diaphragm plate hav-.

ing openings therein and connecting the ex pansible diaphragm to the casing with the valve thereof supported in working relation to the port closed thereby.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass.

CHARLES H. ATKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

